VP Picks Lieberman, Hagel: Disasters for Party Bases

With talk that John McCain and Barack Obama could pick Joe Lieberman and Chuck Hagel, respectively, to round out their tickets, liberal and conservative stalwarts tell Politico the aisle-crossing VPs would likely wreak havoc with the parties’ bases. While each has broken with his party on Iraq, Lieberman is far too socially liberal for Republicans, Hagel too far right for Democrats.

Said the president of the left-leaning National Organization for Women about Nebraska GOP Sen. Hagel, “I honestly don’t understand why there is even speculation.” Quipped the head of the conservative Family Research Council, “Lieberman’s a great pick for McCain if he doesn’t want to be president.” (More Barack Obama stories.)